Car body bolster



Dec. 26, 1939. o. c. DURYEA CAR BODY BOLSTER Filed Sept. 3, 1936 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 26, 1939. o. c. DURYEA CAR BODY BOLSTER Filed Sept.3, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet.2

Patented Dec. 193.9:

,PATENT orr cr.

2,184.83! can nonr nons'ma Otho C. Duryea,

Waterbury. Co missio er to 0. O. Duryea Corporation, New York, N. 1., acorporation of Delaware Application September a, 1936, serial No.59,186.

4 Claims. (onus-22c This invention relates to improvements in car bodybolsters and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims. The present inventionis somewhat allied to but is an improvement over that illustrated anddescribed in my prior United States Letters Patent No. 2,132,232 grantedOctober 4, 1938.

The car body bolster with which the present invention is moreparticularly concerned, is of the kind used in the wellknown Duryea typeof underframe. In such u'nderframes, a center sill passes throughopenings provided therefor in the body bolster, the connection beingthrough cushion gears arranged between the sill and bolster.

Heretofore, such bolsters were made either as an integral casting orthey were built up from prefabricated plates and a center casting,riveted together. Both the cast and the riveted bolsters areobjectionable in certain respects.

Cast bolsters of this type are heavy and the cost is high. In rivetedbolsters, overlapping joints are used and this necessitates care inmatching up holes in the overlapped parts and difliculties areencountered in making tight rivets. Also, inside cornerseams are presentin which water may lodge and thus start bolster corrosion. Again, therivet heads on the top of the bolster require routing out of the carbody flooring to accommodate said heads and this, of course, adds to theexpense.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a car bodybolster of this kind adapted for use in the Duryea type of underframeand which avoids the objectionable features of the cast and riveted carbody bolsters.

Another object of the invention is to provide a car body bolster of thiskind which is simple in design, lighter in weight than the cast orriveted bolsters and which at the same time provides the strength andrigidity required in the finished bolster.

A further object of the invention is to provide a body bolster made froma pluralityof plates of such pattern form that they may be securedtogether by butt welding, thus eliminating overlapping joints.

Again, it is an object of the invention to provide a bolster of thiskind comprising two matched, longitudinal halves butt welded together,with each half in itself made up of a set of preformed plates weldedtogether previous to the welding of said halves together.

A ain, it is another object of the invention to provide a body bolsterof a general hollow box-like cross section made up from preformedplates, certain of which have openings therethrough for the passage ofthe center sill, the bolster being so braced in thevicinity of saidopenings as to resist all stresses and strains imposed thereon in usefor its intended purpose.

. The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others,together with the advantages thereof will more full appear as thespecification proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section ofa car body bolster embodying the preferred form of the invention, theplane of the section being indicated by the line ll of Fig. 2;

Fi 2 is a view in elevation of the bolster with parts of the left handend thereof shown as broken away better to disclose the interiorconstruction thereof;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the bolster on anenlarged scale as taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through an end portion of thebolster in the plane of the side bearing bracket, as indicated by theline 4-4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a detail transverse'vertical sectional view through a part ofthe bolster as taken on the line 5-5 of Flg. 2;

Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal sectional view through a part of thebolster as taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. '7 is a detail vertical sectional view through a part of thebolster as taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 8 is another detail vertical sectional view through the bolster astaken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3 and with the center plate omitted.

In general, the body of the bolster is made up of two longitudinalchannel-like halves, each'in turn being fabricated from a plurality ofpetterned plates welded together, said plates in the finished bolsterbody coacting to form the laterally spaced, vertical shear resistingdiaphragms and the top and bottom tension and compression membersrespectively. In this instance, the tension member of the bolster bodyconstitutes the cover plate of the bolster.

Of the two patterned plates which constitute the diaphragm, each has apair of longitudinally spaced openings therein. In the finished bolsterbody, the openings in the two diaphragms register for passage of thecenter sill members through.

c to the presence oi these openings, certain stifiening elements andbraces are employed in the mid portions of the body to bridge aroundsaid openings and strengthen and reinforce each half in the vicinity ofsaid openings. Therefore, the bolster is not weakened by the presence ofsaid openings. Certain of the bracing and stiffening elements associatedwith one body half project outwardly beyond the diaphragm thereof toprovide a connection for the springs of the gear which cushion therelative movement between the bolster and center sill in use. Certain ofthe elements associated with the other half, also project outwardlybeyond the diaphragm thereof to provide the connection for one end of apair of associated torque arms, the other end of which is adapted forconnection with an end sill forming a part of the car underframe.

Each diaphragm has its associated tension and compression members orplates welded thereto in operative relation to form the two channellikehalves of the body. Before these two halves are joined in body formingrelation, each half has its braces and stifiener plates welded thereinand then both halves are welded together to form a substantiallycompleted hollow box-like body which is open at both ends. A closureplate is then welded in each open end of the body to complete the same.

As each half of the bolster body is substantially the same in itsgeneral structure, a detailed description of one will suifice for both.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustratedin the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, l0 and IIindicate respectively, the two halves of the body. Each half, which isof a substantial channel cross section, comprises an upright web orshear resisting member l2, a top plate l3 and a bottom plate I4 whichfunction as the tension and compression members respectively of theassociated half. The top and bottom edges of the diaphragm |2 are eachwelded to one margin of the associated plates I3 and I4 respectively; ashort distance inwardly from the edges thereof, as indicated at l5 andl5 respectively in Fig. 4. Preferably these welds are on the outside ofthe respective members of each body half.

In the mid portion of each diaphragm and spaced equal distances uponeach side of the transverse median line thereof, coincident with thecenter of the center sill is a pair of rectangular openings I6 and I1respectively. In the finished bolster, the openings in said diaphragmsalign so that the longitudinal members i8 and it of the center sill maypass therethrough. These members of the center sill best appear in Figs.1, 7 and 8.

The openings l6 and I1 are so arranged vertically that the bottom edgesthereof are closer to the compression members M-ll than the top edgesare to the tension members.

The sides of the openings in each half of the body are formed by innerand outer stiifener plates 20-2l and 22-23 respectively. Certain uprightedges of all of said plates are disposed in substantially the plane ofthe opposed edges of the tension and compression members l3 and I l. Thetop edges of said plates terminate in the plane of the top edges of theopenings l6 and I! while the bottom edges of said plates rest upon theassociated compression members M. The

atlas? outer corners of the inner ends of the plates 29 oi one of thebody halves. are bevelled oil as at Zita in Fig. 6. The inner corners ofthe inner ends of the plates 23 of the other body half, are bevelled oflas at 28a in Fig. 8. The purpose of it these bevelled corners 2011-2211will appear later.

Each inner plate 20 of the body part ii is provided with an outer endextension 24 of a height to pass through and outwardly beyond theopenings i0 and i! in the associated diaphragm for 10 a suitabledistance. Said extensions are connected together by a pair of horizontalplates 25-20, arranged in vertically spaced relation about midwaybetween the top and bottom edges thereof. These plates 25-28 provide themeans 15 for connecting the links of a certain spring cushioning gear(not shown) but which is conventional in the Duryea underframe. Theplates 25 are formed with oppositely facing bosses 25a to receive thepin whereby the link previously mentioned is operatively connected tothe bolster.

The outer plates 2| of the body half II have no extensions correspondingto those of the inner plates. A line of welding 28 follows the bottomedges of the plates 20-2I where they engage the 26 compression member.The outer end of the outer plates 2| extend into the diaphragm openingsl8 and I1 but not through the same so as to lap against that part of thediaphragm defining the outer edge of said openings as best appears inFig. 6. A line of welding 26 is then laid in along the edges of saidplates 2| and then another line of welding 21 is run along the insidecomer as defined by the right angled surfaces of said plates 2|2| andthe diaphragm I2. 36 These two welds thus form a lap weld instead ofmerely a butt weld at this point and the strength of the connection thusafforded is greatly increased.

The outer end of the inner plates 22 of the a) body half l0 are securedin the diaphragm openings l0 and II in the same manner as that abovedescribed in connection with the outer plates 2| of the body half H.Therefore, the lines of welding are indicated at 204:. and 21a in 45Fig. 6.

The outer plates 23 of the body half I0 are formed outwardly beyond thediaphragm thereof with upright extensions 20-28 of a heightapproximating that of the associated diaphragm. 50 The top end part ofeach extension is bent outwardly to form a flange 29, the top surface ofwhich engages the under side of the associated top plate I3. The purposeof said extensions and their flanges will appear later. A bottom part'of the plates 23-22 are notched out as at 30 to fit over that part ofthe diaphragm below the associated openings l6 and I! therein as bestappears in Fig. 3. Lines of welding 3l-32 secure said outer plates tothe diaphragm and to the tension member ll of the body half l0. Theleast height of the plates 23-22 is slightly less than either diagonaldimension of the openings |6-|'| to permit placing of said plates inposition during assembly of the body half I0. 65

Between the inner transverse stiffener plates 20-20 and 22-22 of eachbody half l0 and II, in a plane mid way between the diaphragm l2 and theedge of the associated compression member i4 is an upright, longitudinalstiffener strut 70 or plate 33. This plate is welded at its bottom andend edges to the tension member I! and to the associated inner plates20-22 as at 34 in Fig. 6. A second upright longitudinal stiffener strutor plate 35 is welded as at 36 at its bottom 75 and end edges to thecompression member l4.

and to the inner margins of the inner plates 23-22 respectively. Theplates 33-33 in both body halves are of the same height as those 5 partsof the inner and outer transverse plates before mentioned so that thetop edges of all of said plates are in the same horizontal plane.

The longitudinal plates 33-35 of both halves of the body, are eachformed. at a point between its ends with a curved portion 31 openinginto a recess 33 in the associated compression mem-' ber I4 to formone-half .of the opening in the bolster body bottom to receive the kingor center pin of the truck, not shown. This curved portion 5 extendspart way up the plate 33 from its bottom edge as appears in Fig. 3. Theupright plates before mentioned all act'as shear'resisting stiffenerstruts as is apparent. Engaged upon the top edges of the previously gomentioned upright plates in each body half I0 and II respectively is ahorizontal top plate 38. This topplate is welded to the top edses ofsaid upright plates as at 40 and is also welded to the inner face of theassociated-diaphragm l2 as at 26 4!.

Between the top plate 38 in each body half and the tension member l3thereof are inner, outer and intermediate upright stiifener plates 42-43and 44 respectively. The plates 42-86 are arranged in the planes of .theassociated plates -35 while the other or outer plate 43 is engagedagainst the inner face of the associated diaphragm l2 as best appears inFig. 3. The plates 42-43 and 44 have downwardly fac- 5 ing end hooks 45(see Fig. 8) which engage the upper end end portion of the outer plates2I-23 in the respective halves of the body. These plates 42-43 and 44function as shear resisting ribs between the top plate 33 and tensionmemher l3 and are welded thereto and to the upright stiffener plates2l-23 as at 43. Said plates 42-43 and 44 which assist in providing ahollow box-like structure above the top plates 39, are welded in-placedining their .assembly in the associated half of. the body. By means ofthe hooks 45 mentioned the plates 42-43 and 44 are secured not only tothe tension member l3 and top plate 39 but also to the outer uprightplates 2I-23 of the associated body half to form a rigid structure aboveeach sill opening in the finished bolster body.

A suitable distance outwardly from the outer plate 2l-23 of each bodyhalf, I provide therein an upright rib plate 41 which is welded as at 48along one vertical edge and its two horizontal edges to the diaphragmand to the tension and compression members of the respective body half.These plates 41 are arranged substantially in or near the planes of theside bearings to be employed with the finished body bolster to thereform stifiening members therefor.

0n the outer surface of the diaphragm of each half of the bolster body,near its bottom edge, in the plane of the rib plates 41 are welded shortchannel brackets 49. Each bracket which has a cutaway inner corner tofit about the projecting margins of the compression member l4 as shownin Fig. 4, has an inclined bottom which corresponds to the inclinationof the compression member at this point. The purpose of said brackets isto permit the attachment of a part of the associatedside bearing (notshown).

On the outer surface of the diaphragm of the body half II and spacedlongitudinally from the sill openings l6 and I1 thereim angle bracketsII are welded. Upon these brackets certain supports (not shown) .areengaged and upon which the flooring of the associated car body to besupported by the body bolster is secured in place.

. In the diaphragm of each body half Ill and II, I

midway between the tension and compression members at the center portionof each body half, are openings Bl-Sl. These openings. which arearranged within the brackets 33, are defined by inwardly extendingflanges 42. Said l0 openings are intended for use in the finishedbolster. for the passage of the usual train lines and brake rods .(notshown) through the bolster.

Each body half as thus far described is of a channel-like cross sectionand is open at its ends. 15 In each open end of each body half is weldeda closure plate 63 having openings 54 therein whereby they may beriveted to the side sills (not shown) of the underframe in which thebolster body is embodied. Each compression 20 member I4 is provided nearits ends with recesses 55, In the finished bolster body these recessesregister to form an opening 56 for the insertion of a tool to buck upthe rivets employed in securing .the ends of the body to the 25 sidesills before mentioned. I

After the various parts before mentioned have been welded in assembledrelation in their respective halves i0 and II of the bolster body, saidhalves are brought together with the edges as of the tension andcompression members of one body half, abutting those of the other. It isto be understood that these edges have been previously bevelled off sothat when brought together, they coast to define a groove to receive 88the longitudinal lines of welding 51-58 respectively. These lines ofwelding extend the full length of the bolster and down the ends thereofto join the end closure plates 53 together. Of course, before thesewelding operations are 0 carried out, the body halves l0 and ii aresultably positioned to assure the alignment of the stiflener plates20-2l of one body half with the stiifener plates 22-23 in the other.

After the two halves I0 and ii have been 5" welded together a centersill guide member 59 in the form of a rectangular bar is positioned ineach corner as defined by the outer surfaces of the stiffener plates20-22 and the top plates 33 of both halves. Lines of welding 63 are madeso to secure these bars in place. Said bars are of such length as tohave a considerable overlap with the plates to which they are welded andact not only as guides for the channels l8 of the center sill but theyalso assist in connecting the 5 two halves of the body togethertransversely. It is pointed out that in the application and welding ofsaid bars, the same is performed through the openings I3 and I! in thediaphragms and which give complete access thereto. 50

It is apparent that when the halves of the bolster body have been weldedtogether, the inner edges of the inner and outer plates 20-2! of onebody half will register or align with and substantially engage the inneredges of the inner w and outer plates 22-23 of the other body half. Withthe edges thus arranged, the bevelled edges Net-23a before mentioned,will define grooves in which are laid lines of welding 20b and 23b asshown in Fig. 6 to weld said plates together 70 at said edges. Thesegrooves are accessible for welding through the sill openngs i6 and II.It is preferable that said lines of welding 20b-23b be made before theguide bars 59 are welded in position.

To form a sliding bearing support or seat for the center sill member to,passing through the openings I arrange a member 88 between theassociated inner and outer plates lid-2i and 22-423 of both body halves,and which member engages upon at least the tension member oi one of saidbody halves. Preferably said memher is in the form of a longitudinallyextending piece of channel iron with its flanges 32 facing downwardlyand engaged with and welded to both compression members H by lines ofwelding 63. These flanges are of such height as to bring the web 64thereof substantially flush with the bottom edges of the openings I 6and I1. Lines of welding 65 secure the ends of the channel member to theopposed faces of the plates 202l and 2223 of both halves of the body.With the channel members welded to the said plates of both body halves,as well as to the compression member -44 thereof, these members also actto tie the two halves of the body together transversely.

Either before or after the two halves l and II of the bolster body havebeen welded together, I provide on the outer face of each diaphragm l2,above the openings l8 and I1 therein, in the plane of the top plates 39,the solid bars 86-8'| respectively. The bar 68 (see Fig. '7) is of alength to extend between the upright stiffener plates 23-23 of the bodyhalf ID. The bar 61 is of such length as to extend between theextensions 24 of the plates 20 and is welded at its edges to theassociated diaphragm I2. These bars act to form solid stops againstwhich certain stop shoulders (not shown) on the sill engage, at thelimit of the cushioned relation movement between the center sill and thebody bolster as a whole.

After the bolster has been thus far assembled it is turned bottom up anda center plate 68 is arranged in position. This plate forms part of thecenter bearing between the car body bolster and associated truck bolster(not shown). It is made from a relatively thick metal disc having acenter hole 69 which is lined up with the center pin recess in'thebolster proper as provided by the parts 31 and 38. The upper corneredges of the center plate are bevelled off as best appears in Fig. 3 toprovide a welding groove in which annular lines of welding 10 and H areformed to operatively secure the plate to' the bolster body.

The bolster is of the kind embodying torque resisting arms whereby thebolster body is con- 'nected either to an end sill of the underframe .orto a cross bearer thereof. As shown herein, the bolster is of the kindwherein the torque arms are adopted for attachment to the body half 10either before or after the two halves l0 and II are welded together.

In the present instance, said arms will be described as attached to thebody half "I after it has been welded to the body half II but this isnot to be considered in the restrictive sense.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 3 and 5, 12-12 indicate as a whole a pair oflaterally spaced torque arms, each of a truss formation and comprisingupper and lower arm members 13 and 14 respectively. Each arm member ispreferably made of angle bar. In the case of the angle bars forming thetop arm members 13, the top horizontal flanges face outwardly and thevertical flanges face downwardly. The arm members 713 are arranged in ahorizontal plane extending at a right angle to the body half ill and theinner assess? ends oi the angle bars thereof, abut and are welded as atW to the top end edges of the plate. extensions 29 and to the wings 29thereon, mfore mentioned.

In the case of the angle bars forming the bottom arm members 14, thebottom horizontal flanges face outwardly and the vertical flanges faceupwardly. The arm members F4 are each welded at their inner ends as at95a to the bottom end edges of the plate extensions 28 and to the wings29 thereon before mentioned.

The arm members H extend upwardly and outwardly from their inner ends,toward their outer'ends and have horizontal outer and parts meeting inabutting relation with the outer end parts of the top arm members 13.The vertical flanges of the angle bars of both arm members are buttwelded together at their junction. At the outer ends of said arms thevertical flanges of the angle bars of both arm members are ridged orcorrugated as at T6 in Fig. 1. Said outer ends of said arm members areconnected by a transverse bracket 11. The mid portion of said bracket isdisposed in the plane of the top surfaces of the horizontal flanges ofthe top arm members 13 and is adapted for engagement and securement toan associated end sill (not shown) of the underframe.

To resist shearing strains in said arms, in their torque resistingfunctions, I provide between the converging vertical flanges of the armmembers "-14, inner and outer web plates (not shown) which are buttwelded along their top and bottom edges to the associated edges of saidvertical flanges.

The tension member l2 of the body half I0 is made substantially wider atits mid portion than the width of the body half I l as best shown inFig. 1. By this arrangement, the tension mem-- bers l2-l2 of both bodyhalves coact to also function as the cover plate for the bolster body.In securing the torque arm members 13-43 to the body half l0 and stillmaintain the top surface flush with the top surface of the cover plateas a whole, of the bolster body, the inner ends of the arm members areoffset as at 19 in Fig. 5. If desired, but not necessarily so, a weld 80may be employed at this point as shown in Fig. 5.

In that part of the tension member l3, near the point of attachment forthe torque arms, are openings l2a whereby one end of suitable diagonalbraces (not shown) of the underframe may be attached.

It is apparent that when the two body halves Ill and ii are weldedtogether, they form a hollow box-like bolster body. As there are certainopenings in the bolster body through which water, snow or other foreignmatter may at sometime flnd entrance into the bolster body, I provide inthe compression members H-H near the plates 2l23, drain openings 82 asin Fig. 1. Also, in the bottom edges of the plates 41, suitable openingsare formed so that any matter tending to enter the bolster body throughany of the openings therein, drain from said body.

By making the body halves I0 and II from suitably patterned plates andwelding them together as before mentioned, the necessity of forming diesare obviated and the cost of production materially reduced.

From the construction described, it is apparent that the body bolster isa welded one and is, therefore, free from rivets or bolts.

When the bolster thus made, it forms the equivalent of an integralstructure much lighter in weight but stronger and less costly to producethan either a cast or a riveted structure.

Furthermore, the reduced weight of the body bolster greatly aids incontributing to a reduction in the weight of the car with which it is tobe used.

In describing the assembly of the various parts in each body half, it isstated that an end plate 53 is welded in the end of each body half,before the two halves are welded together, the two end plates in eachhalf being'welded together at the time the two body halves are weldedtogether. If desired, the two body halves may first be welded togetherand then a single plate may be welded in each end of the body. Eachplate of course, will have openings therein for the rivets whereby theends of the finished bolster body are attached to the side sills of thecenter frame.

While in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to theform, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, as wellas to the sequence and manner of the steps in installing and welding theparts in place, the same is to be considered only in the illustrativesense so that I do not wish to be limited thereby except as may bespecifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A built-up body bolster of the kind described embodying a pair oflaterally spaced diaphragms and tension and compression membersrespectively and with which the top and bottom edges of said diaphragmshave a welded connection to form a hollow body, there being aligned sillopenings in each diaphragm, upright transversely extending stiffenerplates rising from the compression member into substantially the planeof the top of said openings, and means providing a box-like structure insaid body between the top ends of said stiffener plates and the tensionmember and parts of the diaphragms above said openings.

2. A built-up body bolster of the kind described embodying a pair oflaterally spaced diaphragms and tension and compression membersrespectively and with which the top and bottom ends of said diaphragmshave a welded connection to form a hollow body, there being aligned sillopenings in each diaphragm, upright, transversely extending stiffenerplates rising from the compression member into substantially the planeof the top of said openings, means providing a box-like structure insaid body between the top ends of said stifiener plates and the tensionmember and parts of the diaphragms above said openings, and means weldedto said plates and forming guides for the sills to extend through theopenings.

3. A car body bolster embodying therein, sheai resisting diaphragms andtension and compression members operatively secured together to providea hollow box-like body, said compression member comprising twolongitudinally extending plate-like parts having adjoining edges Weldedtogether, one of said plate-like parts projecting laterally beyond oneside of the body, and laterally spaced torque arms operatively securedto said side of the body and extending away therefrom and engaging withand being secured to said projecting portion of said one of saidplate-like parts.

4. A car body bolster embodying therein, shear resisting diaphragms andtension and compression members operatively secured together to providea hollow box-like body, said compression member comprising twolongitudinally extending plate-like parts having adjoining edges weldedtogether, one of said plate-like parts projecting laterally beyond oneside of the body, and lateral- 1y spaced torque arms operatively securedto said side of the body and extending away therefrom and engaging withand being secured to said projecting portion of said one of saidplate-like parts, said projecting portion of said one of said platelikeparts being formed for the attachment of one end of a pair of diagonalbraces therewith. OTHO C. DURYEA.

